Mycotoxins in fermented foods: A comprehensive review
Mycotoxins in fermented foods: A comprehensive review
Souvik Roy1*; Dibyanshu Shaw1; Tiyas Sarkar1; Lopamudra Choudhury2
ABSTRACT
While the super-swift escalation of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic microbial strains is a
great matter of public health concern; however, mycotoxins are not to be forgotten as well.
According to the statistical analyses, mycotoxins contaminate up to 25 % of the world’s food
supply and contribute to a substantial amount of food spoilage. These toxins, which are
secondary metabolites of certain species of pathogenic fungi, are responsible for a variety of
adverse health effects that range from acute food poisoning to long-term effects, such as
cancer; pregnancy disruption, and immunodeficiency. Although fermented foods have been
consumed since time immemorial, in the 21st century, they are gaining immense popularity
owing to their numerous health benefits. However, it should be noted that mycotoxin-infested
fermented food is not uncommon, due to the use of poor-quality starter microbial cultures for
fermentation and/or other improper practices; thus making this mycotoxin-infested fermented
food an important food safety issue. However, due to the recent developments in food
processing and the advent of very sophisticated and precise techniques, such as immunoassay
and chromatography analysis, which are used to detect these mycotoxins, detecting their
presence has become easier. This review aimed to address several aspects pertaining to
mycotoxins, including their predominant types and producer fungi; their harmful effects,
methods of sampling and extraction from fermented foods, and their detection and analysis
techniques, in addition to the methods used to mitigate those.
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April 2023
Vol. 7, Iss. 2,
